The firmaments of Asiyah

283. Rabbi Aba opened the discussion with the verse, "The heavens are the heavens of Hashem, but He has given the earth to the children of men" (Tehilim 115:16). We should look carefully into this verse, for it should have been said "the heavens are to Hashem, but He has given the earth to the children of men." Why say "the heavens are the heavens." HE ANSWERS: we should note that there are heavens and heavens; there are heavens down below, IN THE WORLD OF ASIYAH, and earth beneath it, and there are heavens above, IN THE WORLD OF ATZILUT, and earth beneath this heaven. And all the higher and lower grades ARE DRAWN in the same fashion one from the other. AND EVERYTHING THAT EXISTS ABOVE, ALSO EXISTS BELOW. THEY RESEMBLE EACH OTHER AS THE SEAL RESEMBLES THE INSIGNIA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THE SEAL IS ALSO IN THE INSIGNIA. EACH ONE DOWN BELOW RECEIVES FROM ITS COUNTERPART ABOVE.

284. The heavens below, IN THE WORLD OF ASIYAH, are like ten curtains, THAT IS, TEN SFIROT, as written in the verse, "who stretches out the heavens like a curtain" (Tehilim 104:2). The Holy One, blessed be He, made them together with the legions OF ANGELS in them, in order to rule over the lower world OF ASIYAH. The ninth FIRMAMENT, CHOCHMAH rules over the lower beings and circles them like a string of precious stones, THAT CIRCLES THE NECK, WHICH MEANS THAT NOTHING IS MADE IN THE LOWER WORLD SAVE BY HIM. THIS IS THE INNER MEANING OF THE VERSE "IN WISDOM HAVE YOU MADE THEM ALL" (IBID. 24). The tenth FIRMAMENT is the principal FIRMAMENT, SINCE IT IS THE SFIRAH OF KETER, THE ROOT AND SOURCE TO ALL THE OTHER NINE SFIROT.

285. In all THE FIRMAMENTS there are assigned camps, up to the seventh firmament, WHICH IS CHESED. BUT IN THE FIRST THREE FIRMAMENTS THERE ARE NO APPOINTEES. From the seventh FIRMAMENT upwards, IN THE FIRST THREE SFIROT, KETER, CHOCHMAH AND BINAH, a light emanates down from the high throne, WHICH IS MALCHUT OF ATZILUT, and illumines the tenth FIRMAMENT, WHICH IS KETER OF ASIYAH, and the tenth FIRMAMENT gives the light it received to the ninth FIRMAMENT, WHICH IS CHOCHMAH. THE NINTH FIRMAMENT ILLUMINES the eighth FIRMAMENT, WHICH IS BINAH and downward.

286. In the eighth FIRMAMENT THERE ARE STARS, and when the hosts of stars are enumerated, and it brings them out, that same light IT RECEIVED FROM THE FIRMAMENT OF CHOCHMAH, gives from its strength to each and every one so it may be assigned in its own place as needed. This is written in, "that brings out their host by number...because of the greatness of his might" (Yeshayah 40:26). The greatness of his might is the supernal radiant splendor, IT RECEIVED FROM THE FIRMAMENT OF CHOCHMAH, which is called 'greatness of might'.

287. In each firmament there is a chief assigned to a world and a land, to rule over all of them, except over the land of Yisrael. No firmament rules over it, nor other force, but the Holy One, blessed be He, alone. This was already explained. But, one may ask, how is there a firmament over the land of Yisrael without effect, and still there is rain and dew over it like any other land?

288. HE REPLIES THAT in each firmament there are assigned chiefs who rule the world, and the chief who rules over a certain firmament, gives it from his strength, and the firmament receives it and transmits it to the land. That chief gets but the remnant of that light above, FOR THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD ARE SUSTAINED BY THE REMNANT ALONE. But the Holy Land is not under the rule of any firmament and other assigned chief, nor any other force but under the Holy One, blessed be He, alone. And He rules over the Holy Land from the firmament above it.

289. In each firmament there are several designated portals, and the authority of each chief lies between two portals. He has no authority outside his area, even by a hairbreadth, except when he is given permission to rule over his fellow-chief. Then the kings on earth also rule one over another. NAMELY, THE KINGS OF THE LANDS DESIGNATED UNDER THESE FIRMAMENTS AND CHIEFS.

290. In the middle of the firmaments, ABOVE THE LAND OF YISRAEL, WHICH IS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE WORLD, there is an opening by the name of Gevilon. Under that portal there are seventy other portals, and seventy chiefs guard them from two thousand cubits away, IN THE SECRET OF SHABBAT LIMIT, FROM THE OPENING GEVILON, which they do not approach. From this opening a way mounts higher and higher until it reaches the supernal throne, WHICH IS MALCHUT, and from this opening ITS AUTHORITY IS SPREAD over to all the quarters of the firmament up to the opening called Magdon, where the firmament over the land of Yisrael ends.

291. All the seventy doors marked in that opening called Gevilon, are engraved on the holy throne, and are named "gates of righteousness," AFTER MALCHUT WHICH IS CALLED RIGHTEOUSNESS, for no other rules over them. And the Holy One, blessed be He, rules over the land of Yisrael in that firmament from one opening to another, THAT IS FROM THE OPENING CALLED GEVILON TO THE OPENING CALLED MAGDON. From His worthy authority, NAMELY FROM THE FULL NEEDED INFLUENCE, the remnant is given to the SAID seventy chiefs, who transmit it to all the other chiefs THAT RULE OVER THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD.